{"id":994,"date":"2016-04-13T17:45:45","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T17:45:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/?p=994"},"modified":"2021-09-25T20:18:55","modified_gmt":"2021-09-25T20:18:55","slug":"explore-ontarios-all-natural-outdoor-wonders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/explore-ontarios-all-natural-outdoor-wonders\/","title":{"rendered":"Explore Ontario&#8217;s All-Natural Outdoor Wonders!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"b12171e95ca29a06569361a76d0dc3e3\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6144103376590397\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>We talk a lot about attractions, and museums, and waterparks, but sometimes, we have to remember that not everything is man-made. Sometimes, the natural wonders are forgotten but they really should be at the top of your list. Not only should we plan to discover them, but we should also work to protect them.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-995\" src=\"\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/water_shot_2013_12_16_at_1.10.47_PM-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"water_shot_2013_12_16_at_1.10.47_PM\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/water_shot_2013_12_16_at_1.10.47_PM-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/water_shot_2013_12_16_at_1.10.47_PM-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Waterfalls<\/p>\n<p>Everyone loves waterfalls. What\u2019s not to like? The power and the drop and the pool below all contribute to their beauty.\u00a0 Ontario has some pretty amazing ones, and that isn\u2019t even counting the world famous Horseshoe (Niagara) Falls. It even has a self-guided waterfalls tour in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitgrey.ca\/play\/outdoor-sights\/waterfalls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Grey County<\/a> and the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cityofwaterfalls.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">\u201cWaterfall Capital of the World\u201d<\/a>\u00a0 in Hamilton\/Dundas, with over 100 waterfalls in the area. But in addition to those, check out these: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.northernontario.travel\/algoma-country\/a-tour-of-algoma-s-waterfalls-from-the-mississagi-valley-to-wawa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Northern Ontario<\/a> has quite a few but Aubrey Falls, in Algoma, is a standout, as is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/park\/kakabekafalls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Kakabeka Falls<\/a>, in Thunder Bay, which is Ontario\u2019s 2nd highest waterfall. And pay a visit in summer to Decew Falls, in St. Catharines, which is a waterfall you can swim under. Cool!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-996\" src=\"\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/cave_shot_2014_03_18_at_12.07.37_PM-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"cave_shot_2014_03_18_at_12.07.37_PM\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/cave_shot_2014_03_18_at_12.07.37_PM-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/cave_shot_2014_03_18_at_12.07.37_PM.jpg 401w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Caves, Gorges &amp; Bluffs<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes nature does things that are way more interesting than anything we could build.\u00a0 The following are some natural wonders to look into or up to: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ontariotrails.on.ca\/trails\/view\/cheltenham-hills\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Cheltenham Badlands<\/a> in Caledon contain iron oxide deposits in the soil which make it look like you\u2019re walking on Mars. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/park\/ouimetcanyon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Ouimet Canyon<\/a> in Dorion is a 150-metre-wide gorge with sheer cliffs that drop 100 metres to the canyon floor. For some reason, the bottom of the canyon supports Arctic plants which are usually only found 1,000 km north. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bonnecherecaves.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Bonnechere Caves<\/a> in Eganville have stalactites hanging from the ceiling &amp; the fossils of sea creatures alive before the Dinosaur age! And the <a href=\"http:\/\/www1.toronto.ca\/wps\/portal\/contentonly?vgnextoid=0519dada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Scarborough Bluffs<\/a> were formed from the accumulation of sedimentary deposits over 12,000 years ago. These sand cliffs are eroding, so use common sense if visiting, but they offer great views.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-997\" src=\"\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-shot-2016-04-13-at-1.34.01-PM-300x163.png\" alt=\"Screen shot 2016-04-13 at 1.34.01 PM\" width=\"300\" height=\"163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-shot-2016-04-13-at-1.34.01-PM-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-shot-2016-04-13-at-1.34.01-PM.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Provincial Parks<\/p>\n<p>Ontario has about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">280 provincial parks<\/a> divided as follows: 65 recreational class parks (394.8\u00a0km2), 6 cultural heritage class parks (67.4\u00a0km2), 80 natural environment class parks (14,675.3\u00a0km2), 109 nature reserve class parks (1,152\u00a0km2), 62 waterway class parks (14,446.2\u00a0km2), &amp; 8 wilderness class parks (48,237.5\u00a0km2). There are too many to talk about all of them, but a couple have something extra to look at: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/park\/sleepinggiant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Sleeping Giant Provincial Park<\/a>, Thunder Bay has a formation of sedimentary rock which looks like a sleeping giant. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/park\/sandbanks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Sandbanks Provincial Park<\/a>\u00a0 has the largest freshwater sand dunes in the world, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/park\/bonecho\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Bon Echo Provincal Park<\/a> in Cloyne has several hundred aboriginal pictographs covering the escarpment. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/park\/craigleith\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Craigleith Provincial Park<\/a> near Wasaga Beach has fractured oil shale plates on the shore that contain invertebrate fossils over 450 million years old.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-998\" src=\"\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-shot-2016-04-13-at-1.40.32-PM-300x133.png\" alt=\"Screen shot 2016-04-13 at 1.40.32 PM\" width=\"300\" height=\"133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-shot-2016-04-13-at-1.40.32-PM-300x133.png 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-shot-2016-04-13-at-1.40.32-PM.png 789w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Water, Islands &amp; Beaches<\/p>\n<p>There is something about water that just makes you say, \u201cAhhhhh\u201d. And when a beach is attached, so much the better! Ontario has 250,000 lakes &amp; 100,000+ km of rivers in the province, and many of these lakes are dotted with picturesque islands. Check out Agate Island Beach in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pc.gc.ca\/eng\/amnc-nmca\/on\/super\/visit.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Lake Superior NMCA<\/a>, where the island, its shores and the beach are all covered with agates, a stone used historically to purify, protect and heal.\u00a0 Agate Island is also unique because of the Pukaskwa pits, archaeological sites that are thought to represent a form of Aboriginal architecture. Or dive into <a href=\"http:\/\/ontarioconservationareas.ca\/component\/mtree\/conservation-authorities-of-ontario\/grand-river\/elora-quarry-conservation-area\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Elora Quarry<\/a> in Elora, a limestone quarry that is now used as a huge swimming hole. And if islands are your jam, you can\u2019t beat the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.Brockvilletourism.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">1000 Islands<\/a>, Gananoque, where 1,864 islands are a sightseers paradise, from both land and water!<\/p>\n<p>Ontarians travel the world in search of gorgeous scenery but in these days of horrible exchange rates, it is time for us to recognize all the incredible natural sights right in our back yards! Check out the choices above but they are just a taste \u2013 have a look in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/parks-trails-beaches-gardens.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Parks, beaches, gardens and conservation areas<\/a> on our site and discover Ontario!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We talk a lot about attractions, and museums, and waterparks, but sometimes, we have to remember that not everything is man-made. Sometimes, the natural wonders are forgotten but they really should be at the top of your list. Not only should we plan to discover them, but we should also work to protect them. Waterfalls&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[134],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ontario-region"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=994"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3584,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/994\/revisions\/3584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}